Individualisation of the systemic biologic therapy for advanced colorectal cancer: Light beyond K-ras status

Abstract

Metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies in the Western world. The number of active anti-cancer agents including both chemotherapy and targeted therapies which have demonstrated efficacy in CRC has expanded considerably. This reflects the improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of CRC, and as a result, treatment strategies are now being tailored towards an individual's tumoral genotype/phenotype rather than the disease's histopathology itself. Two particular targets of clinical utility in metastatic CRC are vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -and its receptor complex and the epidermal growth factor receptor complex (EGFR). VEGF is over-exp..